Band applying device



.1. G. AGUILAR ET AL 2,765,607

Oct. 9, 1956 BAND APPLYING DEVICE;

Filed .July 21, 195s 2 sheets-sheet'l sa .3/ l 40 a@ 38 4 o aff 56 M44: ff a, l 12:7;1"I

Get, 9, 1956 J. G. AGUILAR ET AL 2,765,607

BAND APPLYING DEVICE Filed July 2l, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /c/gf C 53 F/g- 4 A 5 BAND APPLYING DEVICE John G. Aguilar, Concord, and Harold B. Rice, San Leandro, Calif.

Application July 21, 1953, Serial N o. 369,456

8 Claims. (Cl. 53-291) This invention relates to a device ,for applying tubular bands or sleeves to the necks of bottles for sealing the cap or .cork of such bottles. More particularly, the invention relat-es to a device for feeding an elongated continuous ribbon of tubular material in flattened form for insertion around a bottle neck as distinguished from those devices which handle sleeves that h-ave been previously cut to .the required length before being fed to the bottle.

At present, it is customary to apply a tubular band or sleeve of plastic to iilled bottles so that such band overlies `the cap, -cork or other closure and also a portion of the neck of the bottle. Aside from the enhanced attractiveness of the finished container, the band makes the container tamper proof as it is impossible to remove the closure without breaking or tearing the lband.

The material of the band is a cellulose material, usually applied wet, which has the property of shrinking to a considerable extent upon drying. Prior to insertion on the bottle, the banding material Ss stored in a suitable liquid which prevents shrinking.

At present, the Iusual procedure is to apply the plastic bands or sleeves manually although several types of automatic devices have been proposed. The main disadvantage of such devices is their complexity and expensiveness and even the very large bottlers find it more economical to apply the bands manually than to incur the large initial rand maintenance expense involved in the use of the automatic machinery now available.

One type of automatic machine now in use applies banding -sleeves that have previously been cut .to the desired length and which sleeves are stacked in magazines in flattened form. However, the ditlculties attending the steps of removing the sleeves from the magazines, opening or expanding the llattened sleeves to tubular form and thereafter applying them to the bottles, necessitate the provision of intricate machinery, not only making the initial cost'high, but presenting a maintenance problem of keeping the machine running smoothly. An example of .the type of device which applies prec-ut sleeves may be seen in the patent to Allen et al., 2,579,458, dated December 25, 1951.

The preferable solution to the problem is to feed the banding material to the bottles in .the form of a iiattened ribbon :and to sever the ribbon after a tubular portion of the Isame has been applied to the ybottle neck. This method is found in the patent to Holstein,v 2,623,673, dated December 30, 1952.

However, the continuous .feeding of tubular material requires that a floating mandrel be provided within the tube for feeding the latter and also for expanding the same to cylindrical form for insertion around the bottle neck. Heretofore, no :simple means has been provided for carrying out this method and, to applicants knowledge, commercial utilization of this method has not been feasible lbecause of the complexity of the devices at present available.

The main object of the present invention is, therefore, the provision of a device for applying tubular :bands to States Patent Patented Oct. 9, 1956 the necks of bottles and which device is economical to build and maintain, and may be substituted for the manual operation with a great savings in cost.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a commercially feasible device for applying tubular bands' to bottles from a continuous ribbon of the banding material in flattened form.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a oating mandrel of extremely simple construction having no moving parts thereon and over which the tubular banding material maybe readily inserted by unskilled personnel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ioating mandrel which requires no external supporting means except a pair of feed rollers for holding the mandrel in operating position.

Other objects and advantages will :be seen from the following speciiication and drawings.

lFig. 1 is a semi-schematic vertical cross sectional through the banding machine showing bottles in the two positions in which the important operations of 'the machine are carried out.

IFig. 2 is a reduced isometric view of the oating mand'rel.

IFig. 3 is an enlarged end elevational view of the feed rollers showing .the same in `feeding relationship with an elongated strip of the tubular banding material and showing the floating mandrel partially in section to show internal structure ,and with portions of the banding material broken away to show the action of the feed rollers.

fFig. 4 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 3 with parts broken away for clarity.

Fig 5 is -a horizontal cross sectional view through the tubular portion of the plastic band showing the same in its expanded condition on the -bottle neck.

In detail, the invention may be incorporated in a conventional turret type bottle conveyor which includes a vertically disposed Icenter post 1 secured at its lower end by means of a base 2 to a suita'ble lframe member generally designated 3. The fram-e y3 may include a top 4 and a plurality of .legs '5 for spacing said top any desired distance off the iloor (Fig. l).

ISurrounding post 1 and coaxial therewith is a rotating hollow post 7 whi-ch is rotatably supported at its lower end in base 2. The upper end of the stationary center post 1 is provided with a relatively large horizontally disposed `bevel gear 8 to which said center post is rigidly secured as by welding. The upper end of the rotating post 7 is rotatably -secured to the hub of gear i8. Adjacent the =lower end of the rotating post 7, the same is provided with a relatively large spur gear 10 which is in mesh with a pinion l11 carried on the upper end of a vertical shaft y1'2 which passes downwardly through the top 4 of frame '3. The lower end of shaft 12 is driven through reducer 13 from Ia suitable motor 114.

Carried by rotating post 7 intermediate its ends is a horizontally disposed turntable 15 which is peripherally provided with upwardly and radi-ally outwardly opening pockets -16 in the usual manner for lreceiv-ing lthe bottles therein. Any desired number of pockets '16 may be provided.

Within each pocket 16 is a vertically reciprocable shaft 17 which carries at its upper end a horizontally disposed bottle supporting platform '18 on which an upright bottle 22 may be received. Carried by the lower end of each shaft 1-7 is a rol-ler 19 which rests on a peripherally extending stationary cam track 20 which, in turn, is sup ported on top 4 of frame 3.

The cam track 20 is designed so as .to raise the bottle on platform 18 lto an upper position at station A shown at 4the left of Fig. 1 and then to :a lower position at station Bio the right of IFig. 1. It will be understood that stations A and B need not necessarily be 180 degrees apart, but they are shown as such for convenience. 'It will also be apparent that any one of many conventional' means. Imay be employed for feeding Athe bottles .to the turntable and removing them after vthe desired operation has been performed.

Spaced above the upper end of the rotating post 7 is a reservoir 23 which is adapted to contain a Yquantity of liquid 24 such as alcohol, glycerine or whatever other liquid is employed to prevent premature shrinkage .of the plastic banding material.

Reservoir '23 may be supported on a horizontally disposed plate 6 which in turn is supported by downwardly extending ears 2S secured at theirlower ends, as byA welding, to the upper end of rotating post 7.

As described above, the bevel gear 8 is stationarily secured to the xed center post. Meshing with bevel gear 8 are a plurality of vertically disposed bevel gears 27 which are carried at the inner ends of radially extending shafts -28. Adjacent the gears 27, the shafts 28,are rotatably supported in ears 25. At its outer end, each shaft 28 is provided with the movable half 29 of a clutch generally designated 30. Coaxial with each shaft 2S and radially outwardly thereof is a stub shaft 31 which is rotatably supported in an ear 32 depending from the periphery of the plate 6. The inner end of each stub shaft 31 is provided with a fixed clutch half 33 which cooperates with the movable half 29 for transferring rotation from shaft 28 to shaft 31.

Between ear 32 and fixed clutch half 33 is a spur gear 35 secured to shaft 31 and in mesh with a similar spur gear 36 (Figs. l, 3) on a shaft 37. Shaft 37 is also rotatably supported in ear 32.

Shafts 31, 37 extend outwardly in side by side parallel relationship beyond the periphery of plate 6 and are provided with cylindrical sleeves 38, 39 respectively (Fig. 3) of yieldable material such as soft rubber. As best seen in Fig. 3, the spacing between shafts 31, 37.and the thickness of sleeves 38, 39 is such that the latter are in rolling engagement at their line of Contact. together with sleeves 38, 39 constitute feed rollers generally designated 40, 41 respectively.

Each stub shaft 31 is actuated through clutch 30 from shaft 28 which rotates constantly as long as post 7 is rotating. This is due to the coaction between the stationary bevel gear 8 and the rotatable bevel gear l27 on shaft28. Clutch 30 is actuated by means of a toggle linkage generally designated 43 which includes a link 45 pivotally supported at one end to ear 25 on plate 6 and a link 46 pivotally supported at one end to the movable clutch half 29. Links 45, 46 are each pivotally connected at their other ends to the upper end of a vertically extending link 47 which in turn is pivotally secured to an elongated, generally horizontally disposed arm 48.

Arm 48 extends radially outwardly of the machine and is supported foi vertical swinging at its inner end as at 49 to rotating post 7. The outer end of arm 48 is bifurcated to provide a yoke 49 (Fig. 5) which is adapted to rest on the shoulder 44 of the bottle on platform 18.

Upon upward movement of the bottle platform 18 to raise the bottle to the position of station A, it will be apparent that the clutch 30 will be engaged so as to transfer the rotary motion of shaft 28 to stub shaft 31 in the direction indicated, (Figs. l, 3).

By the above described structure, it will be apparent that shafts 31, 37 rotate in the directionindicated so as to feed'any material between the rollers dened by sleeves 38, 39 in a downward direction. This feeding action will, of course, continue until the clutch 30 is disengaged by downward movement of the bottle between' stations A and B. It will be understood that the length of time during which the feeding action of the rollers 40, 41 takes placemay be predetermined by forming camtrack 20 to thedesired shape.

The shafts 31, 37

By making the arm 48urelatively long and of sufficient weight, the clutch 30 is disengaged by gravity as the bottle is lowered.

Although the particular means for transferring the bottles from the usual straight conveyor to the turntable 15 is not shown herein because any conventional means may be employed, it will be understood that the bottles are inserted into and withdrawn from the turntable at an elevation corresponding to the lower position of the bottle shown at station B.

Within the reservoir 23 are a plurality of shafts 50 (only two being shown) each of which is adapted to receive a roll 51 of flexible plastic tubular banding material in flattened form so that said material may be pulled from the roll in an elongated flat ribbon. Adjacent the periphery of reservoir 23 a sheave or roller 52 is provided for each roll 51 so as to act as a fair lead for the ribbon 53 to permit reversing its direction so that the same may be fed downwardly between rollers 40, 41.

Before being engaged by feed rollers 40, 41 the ribbon S3 is threadedly received over a floating mandrel generally designated 55 (Figs. 1 4).

As best seen in Figs. 2-4, mandrel 55 comprises a generally inverted U-shaped portion of heavy wire comprising a pair of parallel side pieces 56, 57 connected together at their upper ends by a semi-circular portion 54.

Integral with the lower ends of side pieces 56, 57 is a support member 58 extending transversely between pieces 56, S7Vand formed to provide a convex downwardly directed surface 59 which is adapted to rest on rollers 40, 41 adjacent to but spaced upwardly from their line of engagement (Fig. 3).

integrally secured to the underside of support member 58 and in continuation of side pieces 56, 57 is a second pair of side pieces 60, 61 respectively; the length of which is about equal to the outer diameter of rollers 40, 41. Rigidly secured to the lower ends of side pieces 60, 61 is a forming die generally designated 62. Die 62 is bifurcated to provide a pair of upwardly divergent legs 63, 64 which are secured at their upper ends to the lower ends of side pieces 60, 61 respectively. The legs 66, 64 are formed with smooth convex outer surfaces and merge smoothly with a short cylindrical end portion 65.

As seen in Figs. 3, 4, the circumferential extent of the mandrel in cross section between support 59 and the cylindrical portion 65 is uniform for all sections and it will be seen that when the mandrel 55 is threadedly re- A ceived within the flattened ribbon 53 and the latter is moved downwardly relative to the mandrel 55, the ribbon is gradually expanded to a substantially cylindrical form.

In operation, the ribbon 53 is directed downwardly from idler roller 52 (Fig. l) and the mandrel 55 is p threadedly received therein with the rollers 40, 41 in ribbon between the support 58 and the forming die 62, it

will be apparent that the enlargement on support 58 dened by the surface 59 increases the arc of engagement between the ribbon sides and the rollers 40, 41. Inasmuch as rollers 40, 41 are of a length slightly vshorter than the spacing between side pieces 60, 61, positive engagement between ribbon and rollers throughout the length of the latter is also insured.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the forming die 62 is formed with a downwardly opening central recess 70 which is adapted to receive therein the upper portion of the neck 72 of the bottle 22. The neck of the bottle 22 may be provided witha cork 71 or other closure in the usual manner.

Assuming that-theexpandedribbon has been fed downwardly between the rollers 40, 41 so that its lower end projects a slight amount below the lower end of forming die-62, as seen at station A in Fig. l, it will be apparent, upon upward movement of the bottle 22 caused by cam track 20 the clutch 30 will be engaged and cause the rollers 40, 41 to feed the ribbon 53 downwardy to surround the neck of the bottle as seen in Fig. 3.

In this connection, it should be noted that the inner diameter of the tubular band which is applied to the bottle neck is larger than the outside diameter of the latter, so that a rather loose fit between band and bottle results. Although it will be understood that after shrinkage, an extremely tight fit is achieved. However, before such shrinkage occurs, the wet plastic band nevertheless tends to hug the sides of the bottle neck despite the loose fit. This tendency is enhanced because of the fact that the ribobn 53, being originally flattened, is provided with slight creases 7S, '76 (Fig. 5) which make the cross sectional shape elliptical after the banding ribbon becomes free from the forming die 62. This particular configuration of the ribbon prevents the band yfrom dropping downwardly onto shoulder 44 of the bottle 22 after a portion of the ribbon has been severed to form a sleeve.

As described earlier, the amount of ribbon fed onto each bottle, which determines the length of the finished sleeve, depends upon the configuration of the cam track Z as the latter determines the length of time that the bottle remains in the raised position.

After a predetermined length of band has been fed around the bottle neck, feeding stops and the bottle 22 is moved to station B at which point the track 20 is provided with a horizontal portion 78 which pervents vertical movement of the bottle. During the time the bottle 22 is being lowered to station B, it will be moving downwardly away from the ribbon 53 so that a space is formed between the closure 71 of the bottle and the bottom of the forming die 62 of mandrel 55 (Fig. l).

Alongside station B is a vertically extending elongated shaft 80 which is rotatably supported at its upper end in a bearing 81 secured to any suitable adjacent structure. The shaft 80 is rotatably supported at its lower end in a bearing 82 fixed to one of the legs 5 of frame 3 and is provided at its lower end with a bevel gear 83 in mesh with a similar bevel gear 84 carried by a horizontal shaft 85. Shaft 8S may be an extension of the armature shaft of motor 14 and a bearing 86 may be provided for the same on frame 3.

The upper end of shaft 80 is secured to a conventional disc knife 87 which is constantly rotating with shaft 80. Knife 87 is positioned with its cutting edge in the space between the top of the bottle and the forming die 62 so that as the bottle 22 is carried past station B the ribbon is automatically severed so as to leave a sleeve 88 on the top of the bottle neck.

It is extremely important to note the particular configuration of the mandrel 55 and that the transverse support S is the only means for supporting the mandrel. Although the support 58 is actually supported on the rollers 4f), 41 it is not in engagement with the same inasmuch as the opposite sides of the ribbon 53 are interposed between the support 58 and the rotating rollers 40, 41.

The fact that the ribbon 53 is wet during the above described operation reduces the friction between support 58 and the sidewalls of the ribbon and causes the mandrel to float freely on the rotating rollers. However, the wet condition of the ribbon also reduces the traction between the rollers and the ribbon but a positive feeding effect is achieved by making the ribbon engaging sleeves of relatively soft pliable rubber. If desired, the traction may be enhanced by forming ridges or ribs on the rollers, but this is not required, it being preferable not to mar the surface of the plastic ribbon by such means.

The mandrel 55 is stable in an upright position because the forming die 62 is substantially heavier than the upper portion of the mandrel. For this reason the mandrel is truly a floating one inasmuch as only gravity acts upon it to keep it upright in operating position. If desired, the forming die 62 may be made hollow but it flattened flexible tubular material comprising: a pair of horizontally disposed feed rollers in side by side relationship and respectively adapted to frictionally engage the opposite outer sides of said ribbon during feeding thereof between said rollers with said ribbon flattened, means for rotating said rollers oppositely with their adjacent surfaces moving in the direction of feed of said ribbon for so feeding the latter, a floating mandrel adapted to be received within said ribbon, a support on said mandrel supporting the latter at corresponding points on said rollers with the sides of said ribbon interposed between said sup'-l port and said rollers, a forming die on said mandrel on the opposite side of said rollers from said support for expanding said ribbon during feeding thereof to a generally tubular portion for receiving a bottle neck therein, and means for connecting said portion and said die.

2. In a banding machine, a feeding mechanism for downwardly feeding a vertically extending ribbon of flattened flexible tubular material comprising: a pair of horizontally disposed feed rollers in side by side relationship and respectively adapted to frictionally engage the opposite outer sides of said ribbon during feeding thereof between said rollers with said ribbon flattened, means for rotating said rollers oppositely with their adjacent surfaces moving in the direction of feed of said ribbon for so feeding the latter, a floating mandrel adapted to be received within said ribobn, a support on said mandrel supporting the latter at corresponding points on said rollers with the sides of said ribbon interposed between said support and said rollers, a forming die on said mandrel on the opposite side of said rollers from said support for expanding said ribbon during feeding thereof to a generally tubular portion for receiving a bottle neck therein, and means for connecting said support and said die, said forming die being integral with said mandrel and relatively heavy for maintaining said mandrel in an upright position.

13. In a banding machine, a feeding mechanism for downwardly feeding a vertically extending ribbon of flattened flexible tubular material comprising: a pair of horizontally disposed feed rollers in side by side relationship and respectively adapted to frictionally engage the opposite outer sides of said flattened ribbon centrally of the latter during feeding thereof between said rollers, said rollers having similar ribbon engaging surfaces having a horizontal extent less than the width of said ribbon whereby the opposite vertically extending marginal portions of said ribbon are free from engagement by said rollers, a floating mandrel adapted to be received within said ribbon and provided with a support for supporting the same on the upper sides of said rollers with the sides of said ribbon interposed between said support and said rollers, a forming die on said mandrel and below said rollers for expanding said ribbon during feeding thereof to a generally cylindrical form for receiving the top of a bottle neck therein, a pair of vertically extending elongated elements connecting said support and said die, and received within said marginal portions of said ribbon.

4. In a banding machine, a feeding mechanism for downwardly feeding a vertically extending ribbon of flattened flexible tubular material comprising: a pair of horizontally disposed feed rollers in side by side relationship and respectively adapted to frictionally engage the opposite outer sides of said flattened ribbon centrally of the latter during feeding thereof between said rollers, said rollers having similar ribbon engaging surfaces having a horizontal extent less than the width of said ribbon whereby the opposite vertically extending marginal portions of said ribbon are free from engagement by said rollers, a floating mandrel adapted to be received within said ribbon and provided with a support for supporting the-sameon-tl1e upper sides'of said rollers` withy th'e'sides'- of said ribbon interposed between said supportandsaid rollers, aforming.di'e"on'said mandrel and belowv said rollers forexpandingsaidribbon during feeding 'thereof to agenerally cylindricall formv for receiving the top ofv a bottleneck therein, a pair ofvvertically extending' elongated elements connecting said support and said die,` and'received withinsaidmarginal portions of said ribbon,

said forming die being relatively heavy for automaticallyl maintaining said mandrel in an upright position.

5. In abanding machine,`.a`feeding mechanism for downwardly feeding a vertically extending ribbon of llattenedflexible tubular material comprising: a pair of sidesV ofy said ribboninterposed between saidsupport and said rollers, a forming-die onsaid mandrel on the opposite side of said rollers from said support for expanding said ribbon duringfeeding thereof to a generally tubular portion for receiving "a bottleneck therein, means for connecting said support and said die, a bottle support for supporting a bottle upright and coaxial Withsaid die, means for moving suchzbottle toward said die for so receiving said tubular portion aroundthe bottle neck, and means for severing said portion at a point between the top .ofV said bottle andsaiddie.'

6. A mandrel adapted for use with a ribbon of flattened flexible tubular material adapted to befed in tubular form onto the neckof a bottle, said mandrel'comprising: a-support portion extending transversely of said mandrel and adapted to be supported on a pair of parallel rollers with such ribbon attened between said rollers, a die por# tion longitudinally spaced from said support portion andV adapted to expand such attened ribbon to a tubular portion. and said. die :portion'providing an opening for receiving saidy ilattenedribbon-therein with said rollersl engaging-the#opposite outerV sides of saidribbon.

7.- A mandrel adapted for use with a ribbon of attened flexible tubular material adapted to be fed in tubular form onto the neck of a bottle, said mandrel comprising: a'support portion'extending transversely of said mandrel and adapted to be supported on a pair of parallel rollers with such ribbon flattened between said rollers, a die portion longitudinally spaced from said support portion and adapted to expand such attened ribbon to a tubular shape, said longitudinal spacing between said support portion land saiddie portion'providing an opening for receiving said ilattened ribbon therein with said rollers engaging' thc oppositeV outer sides of said ribbon, said mandrel` being unitarywithsaid portions integrally secured together.

8. A mandreladapted for use with a-ribbon of ilattened llcxible tubular material adapted to be fed in tubular form onto the neck ofla bottle, said mandrel comprising: a support portion extending transverselyof said mandrel and adapted to be supported on a pair of parallel rollers `with such ribbon attened between said rollers, a die portionllongitudinally spaced from said support portion and adapted to` expand such iiattened ribbon to a tubular shape,l saidlongitudinal spacing,V between said support portion and said. dieportion providing an opening for ,receivingaid attened ribbon therein` with said rollers engaging the` opposite outer sidesv of said ribbon, said mandrel .being unitary with saidV portions integrally secured together, with saiddie. portion relatively heavy to maintain saidfmandrel'in"an'upright position when said `rollers are horizontal.

Referencesitedinthe le of thisl patent UNITED `STATES PATENTS 

